Uma Musume Pretty Derby is a much talked about anime jointly produced by Cygames, TOHO animation, and Lantis. The original is a smartphone app scheduled for release in 2018, with the anime airing ahead of the release.
【Uma Musume Contents】
This story is set in a world where girls named after legendary horses from another world, known as Uma Musume, live alongside humans. While humans rejoice and despair over the Uma Musume's incredible running, the Uma Musume themselves strive to be faster than anyone else, captivating the audience with their performances. This coming-of-age story centers on Special Week, who travels to Tokyo to become the best Uma Musume in Japan.
Round 1: The Gate of Dreams
Coming to the Special City
This is where the story begins. Special Week comes to Tokyo from rural Hokkaido. She's headed to Toresen Academy, a prestigious training school for urban Uma Musume girls. This country girl, clueless from the outside, strives to become the best Uma Musume in Japan, and so begins her challenge.
A Fateful Encounter
After getting off at the wrong station, Spe, at the suggestion of a kind station attendant, decides to watch her first live race at a nearby race track (although it's only about 5km away). There, she is shocked and moved by Silence Suzuka's race, and is then sexually harassed twice by a suspicious man. This was a fateful encounter with the two that would determine Spe's fate.
I want to be with Suzuka
The day after watching the race, Spe heard about the teams at the academy. Each team at the training center has its own training policy, and Spe learned that she should join a team that best suits her. One day, Spe heard about the team that Silence Suzuka, whom he had recently seen in a race and had become a big fan of, was on. Spe was excited to join the team that Suzuka was on, but the team was said to be the strongest in the school and very difficult to join. In order to be on the same team as his idol Suzuka, he decided to take the entrance exam.
The Harshness of Reality
Upon joining the club, each member announces their goal. Special Week's goal is to become the best Uma Musume in Japan—a promise she made to her mother when she left the countryside. However, she is met with cold laughter from those around her. Then the entrance exam begins, and at first he runs awkwardly, perhaps due to nervousness. However, when he finds out that his idol Suzuka is watching the exam, he puts on a fantastic run after that, but as you'd expect from a prestigious training school, he is sadly defeated and fails. Spe is dejected, unable to join Suzuka. And who on earth is it that another suspicious old man is watching his run?...
To the Gate of Dreams
On her way home, Spe, still in shock, was pondering what to do about her team when she noticed a suspicious-looking sign that read Team Spica. While looking at the team's sign, Spe was kidnapped by a suspicious trio. Finally, he arrived at Team Spica, the same team he'd seen on the sign earlier. There he found the sexually harassing old man who had been at the race track, and none other than his idol, Silence Suzuka. The old man was Spica's trainer, and saw the incredible speed of Spica's legs, and more than anything, he didn't laugh at Spica's dream. Suzuka had been transferred for some reason. After coming full circle, Spica was able to join the same team as his idol, Suzuka, but it had already been decided that he would be competing in the race.
Round 2: My Sudden Debut
I'm a scumbag, though
The sudden decision to participate in the race came as a surprise to all the Spica members, but Spe was the most surprised of all. However, she managed to push herself and resolved to do her best. Spe was elated to be on the same team as her idol, Suzuka, and even become her roommate in the dorms.
Strolling Around the School
After meeting with the Triple Crown Uma Musume president, Tokai Teio gives her a tour of the school. She learns about the various facilities and Uma Musumes. She also learns that Tokai Teio is aiming to become the Triple Crown Uma Musume. While her own goal is to become the best Uma Musume in Japan, Spe-chan isn't quite sure what it means to be the best. She re-energizes, determined to work hard.
Preparing for the Race
With renewed energy, Spe-chan trains hard with her teammates in preparation for the race. One day, upon returning home, Suzuka is stopped by the dorm supervisor, who asks her to keep an eye on Special Week. Why? When Suzuka asks this, Spe tells her that she grew up in the countryside and had never met any other Uma Musume other than herself, and had no friends her age. Suzuka is stopped from asking questions like "You're a Uma Musume, but you've never met any other Uma Musume? Aren't your parents Uma Musume?", but she says that although Spe is bright and positive, she might actually be in trouble sometimes, so she should be counting on her.
Special Week's Past and Thoughts
Suzuka, curious about what the dorm leader had said earlier, decides to ask Spe. "Why do you want to be number one in Japan?" Spe responds. Her real parents passed away shortly after she was born, and it was her adoptive parents who entrusted her with raising a fine Uma Musume. Spe's foster parents raised her well in order to fulfill her biological parents' wishes. Spe wants to repay her two parents for their kindness, and her promise to them was to become the best Uma Musume in Japan, which is why she wants to become the best in Japan. Upon hearing this, Suzuka heartily congratulates Spe, saying it's wonderful that she has two mothers.
Debut Match
Spe's debut match begins, but she's nervous and trembling with excitement. With the help of her trainer, Suzuka comes to encourage Spe. "You promised your mother, you'd be missing out if you didn't have fun," she says, calling her Spe. Hearing this, Spe's nerves melt away as she takes on the race. Despite facing numerous obstacles from formidable opponents, he managed to pull off a stunning victory in his debut match, thanks in part to the intensive training he received from his mother in the countryside.
Round 3: The First Big Match
The Disgrace of the Winning Live
Led by Spe-chan, who won her debut match, all of Spica's members have been steadily racking up victories. However, at the Winning Live, where only the winners can stand, Spica was the only one who hadn't trained at all, and was unable to dance or sing, making for a disgraceful performance. The other members also performed poorly at the Winning Live, which infuriated the Student Council President, so the members of Team Spica decided to start training hard for the Winning Live.
Dance Lesson with Teacher Teio
Tokai Teio came to us for a singing and dancing lesson. He had come at the request of his trainer, and because the president was angry with Spica for their poor performance in the live show. Teio, a worthy instructor, sings and dances well, and the Spica members received intensive training from the ground up.
Aiming for the Triple Crown Uma Musume
Spe-chan's trainer tells her to aim to become a Triple Crown Uma Musume. She's a little surprised, but Suzuka tells her that this is what will help her become Japan's best Uma Musume. She then decides to give it her all, and Suzuka encourages her, saying that it's not a bad idea to try. Tokai Teio, watching Spica's performance, had something on his mind, and later decided to join Spica as well.
Yayoi Sho
Spe-chan is aiming to win the Yayoi Sho, a preliminary race to the Satsuki Sho, one of the conditions for becoming a Triple Crown Uma Musume. Standing in his way are King Halo, who has won three races in a row since his debut, and Seiun Sky, who is usually a laid-back horse and has yet to show his true potential. Special Week is ready to race with a carefully planned strategy. In the early stages, he is shaken by Seiun Sky's lead, but as planned, he stays calm and saves his energy until the end, heading into the deciding uphill section. There, he brilliantly overtakes Seiun Sky, and Special Week seizes the victory.
An Uneasy Atmosphere
Spica is thrilled with Spe-chan's victory and holds a victory party. As we saw in episode 1, Spe-chan is a very good eater. Now, the Satsuki-Sho is finally upon us, and everyone is excited. Everyone is working hard, from dance practice to race preparation. For G1 races, she wears gorgeous outfits with an eye for appearance. And when Spe-chan's outfit finally arrives, she puts it on...
An opponent burning with revenge and a sense of composure that comes from her complacency
The Satsuki-Sho race is finally upon us. Spe gets fired up as he remembers all the training he's done so far and his mother. The same course and the same competitors as the last Yayoi Sho, if he performs as he did last time he's sure to win, thinks Spe and his trainer, but nearby is Seiun Sky, burning with fighting spirit and filled with regret from the last time. The race begins, and Spe makes his move up the same hill as last time, while right in front of him is Seiun Sky, who had decided to break away last time, but this time he has changed his strategy and is making his move from the same place.
First Setback
Spe, who lost ground on the crucial uphill stretch, couldn't close the gap no matter how hard she ran. And, mercilessly, Special Week finished in third place. Both Special and the trainer, who experienced their first defeat and couldn't help her win, regretted it. The two realize that their defeat was due to complacency. However, they will not stop until that moment, and vow to get revenge on Derby, and to win next time.
Round 4: Special Training
Reasons for Defeat
After experiencing her first disappointment in the Satsuki Sho, Spe was devastated. However, her feelings were already focused on her next race, the Japanese Derby. After finishing breakfast, she stepped on a scale that caught her eye, and discovered one of the reasons why she couldn't make a comeback and lost the Satsuki Sho. She'd been eating a lot since episode one. (In real life, Special Week gained 10kg during the Satsuki-Sho.)
Dietster Spe
Convinced that her weight was the cause of her defeat, Spe decided to go on a diet. She cut her usual heavy eating habits in half and began exercising. Then, when Spe finds out that his classmate El Condor Pasa from the strongest team, Rigil, is undefeated in four fights, he becomes determined to do his best as well. His trainer tells him that gaining weight is not a bad thing, but Spe desperately wants to lose weight, so everyone around him tries their best to support Spe on his diet.
To the Mock Battle
A trainer who had been diligently researching Spe's running style noticed something and challenged her rival, Rigil's Taiki Shuttle, to a mock battle. Taiki Shuttle's strength is well-known, and he is said to be the fastest in Japan over short distances, so Suzuka is against it, saying that if he loses again he might start to hate running, but Spe wants to take on the challenge in order to improve, and Suzuka supports him. And so it's finally time for the mock battle with Taiki Shuttle.
Learning from Defeat
Taiki Shuttle lives up to its reputation for speed, and Special Week struggles to keep up. However, as she races, she notices something. Running at the speed of an Uma Musume naturally creates a strong headwind. However, by staying behind Taiki Shuttle, she is able to run more easily than usual. It's a slipstream. Furthermore, Special Week hears the sound of Taiki Shuttle's steps and realizes that it is a method of running in small steps, called the pitch running technique. Having learned these techniques in an instant, Special Week engages in a fierce battle with Taiki Shuttle, but is sadly defeated.
Rivals' Performance
After the mock race with Taiki Shuttle, everyone goes to their room to watch the race. El Condor Pasa is there. El Condor Pasa, undefeated in his four races, has now secured his fifth win, and in his victory interview he said that in order to aim for the world, his next goal is to win the Japan Derby. This is the next race in which Special will compete, and Special Week is fired up as his biggest rival will be competing. Will Special Week be able to beat El Condor Pasa?
Differences from Historical Facts
El Condor Pasa does not appear in the actual Derby, so the Derby is original to the anime. Therefore, it's hard to predict what will happen next.
[Uma Musume] Summary!
This article introduces the plot of episodes 1 through 4. This is a wonderful series, with historically accurate depictions of everything from the horse's background to its race results. However, it also accurately depicts not only the horse's victories but also its setbacks. This is one of its charms, as it's not just a success story about a genius horse. I'm really looking forward to seeing how things will develop in the future, whether it will follow historical facts or be original in the anime, so if you haven't seen it yet, please do so. Thank you for reading until the end.
